


After Death

by peachbxtt



Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU - Freeform, Demons, Drama, F/M, ItachixOC - Freeform, KakashixOC - Freeform, Mythology - Freeform, Past Abuse, Religion, Romance, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, Suicide Attempt, Unrequited Love, maybe smut maybe not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-05-16 00:54:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19307344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachbxtt/pseuds/peachbxtt
Summary: The genius Itachi Uchiha forms an unlikely friendship with the ever untalented Usagi whom he saves from committing suicide. The great Kakashi Hatake is assigned to look after the girl after her second known attempt. Little do either of them know of Usagi's own trials, tribulations, and strengths. After all, a magician should never tells their secrets.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first story. I'll say here that it's mainly ItachixOC and KakashixOC. As for Sasuke's relationship with Usagi, it's more one-sided but I'll let you guys get to it instead of spoiling the fun. In this first chapter, I'm just going to be establishing the beginnings for Itachi and Usagi. For this chapter there is also a trigger warning as it does contain a suicide attempt. Thanks and I hope you guys enjoy!

The first time Itachi Uchiha met Usagi; it was through a very unfortunate event. You see, Usagi was trying to kill herself. Again. This particular time she had tied a noose around her neck and was planning to hang herself from the fan in her small room. Unfortunately for her, just as she kicked off the stool, a young Uchiha busted her door down in one swift kick and threw a kunai at the rope to release her. It happened so fast that Usagi didn’t even get the chance to lose consciousness or feel the constriction of her own airflow. She looked at the strange boy with a pair of the angriest eyes he had ever seen. 

So, how did Itachi know that this person he had never met before was going to commit suicide? Well, originally Usagi wasn’t planning on hanging herself. As a ten year old, she was small and scrawny. On top of that, Usagi was extremely sneaky and had a knack for getting by unnoticed. Usagi had made it to the nearest convenience store and stole whatever sort of pills she could shove into her pockets and quickly took a bottle of sake. She then ran as quickly as possible in the direction of her small apartment with a frantic expression on her face. Sadly, Usagi was a klutz and tripped over her own two feet. And when she looked up, she had come face to face with fate which introduced her to Itachi Uchiha who saw all of her spilled contents. 

Of course, she didn’t have time for fate when she was trying to take control of it. So she ran home not knowing that Itachi—unlike her—was a top notch genius shinobi who would catch up to her no time.

“Why did you do that?” Usagi screamed tears gathering up in the corners of her brown eyes.

“I was just trying to help you,” came the shy voice of the young Uchiha. “I’m going to have to report this to the Hokage, you know?”

Itachi presented his latter statement with a little more conviction to which Usagi merely sighed. 

“Okay,” she replied calmly. “I’ll go get my things.”

Itachi at this point in his life was contemplating the meaning of life and death. Recently, a man named Orochimaru had told him that life had no meaning. This answer made Itachi throw himself off cliff only to realize that humans do want to live. However, this was the first time he had met someone who didn’t want to live and it frankly was confusing. 

Since that day, Itachi made a habit to check on the girl as much as he could to which the girl was adverse to and rather offended by. After all, she was someone who merely wanted to do things on her own terms. However, Itachi did not let up. 

“Stop following me around!” Usagi yelled. 

“I just…” the little boy trailed off.

“You just want to see if I’m okay,” Usagi finished for him in whiny tone. “But look, I’m FINE! So stop it! The girls in my class are starting to notice, Itachi.”

Itachi’s eyes went wide, “You know my name?”

This only vexed Usagi even more, “WE WERE IN THE SAME CLASS 3 YEARS AGO!”

“I don’t think we ever said hello or anything.”

“Of course you don’t remember me. But honestly, how can I not remember you? You’re all any of the girls would talk about!”

“Oh.”

It was that moment Itachi noticed that on this particular sunny day that Usagi was wet with some kind of liquid. He got up closer to touch her hair and smell it.

“W-what are you doing?” Usagi questioned clearly flustered yet still trying to act tough.

“Who poured soda all over you?” Itachi asked concerned.

“Itachi,” Usagi’s tone was warning, “if you really need to know what happened, some girls got jealous that you were coming to see me and poured their drink all over me. So if you really want to help, you’d leave me alone.”

Later that day, Itachi went home and sat at the low table with his little brother Sasuke while their mother began preparing dinner. Sasuke kept trying to get Itachi’s attention, but Itachi was very much lost in thought. He wondered why this girl seemed so detached from everything. From his observation, not many people especially children chose to be purposefully isolate themselves or let themselves purposefully. Perhaps, she was more like him that he thought.

“Okaa-san!” Sasuke called loudly clearly upset. “Niiisan is ignoring to me!”

Mikoto Uchiha sighed, stopped what she was doing momentarily. She turned and made her way to Itachi before kneeling in front of his face. 

“Itachi,” Mikoto began, “is everything okay? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

Itachi took a moment before saying, “It’s just that I met this girl.”

“A girl?” Sasuke yelped bewildered.

Mikoto’s eyes also lit up at the news that her son finally had some normal childish interest.

“So that’s what this is about!” Mikoto exclaimed much too happily. “Well, she has to come over for dinner sometime!” 

Sasuke, on the other hand, was pouting at the fact that Itachi had interest in a girl. What if his beloved brother got girlfriend and stopped playing with him altogether? Surely, Itachi was too cool for that kind of thing!

“That’s actually a good idea,” Itachi smiled. “I’ll actually go get her now!”

“W-wait!” Mikoto called out startled.

“If dad comes home earlier, just start without us!”

Sasuke’s jaw dropped to the floor as he watched his older brother rush out the door.

Itachi rushed to where he had once found her attempting to end her own life. If Itachi had learned anything about this girl is that she really was alone. Maybe, bringing her into his family would help her and maybe she would forgive him.

The young Uchiha Kindly knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds before trying again. There was no answer. No sound. An eery chill rushed down his spine followed by the sense of immense dread. It was not a feeling he could describe. It was just overwhelming and he could not move.

Caught off gaurd, Itachi didn’t realize that the door had opened and Usagi stood on the other side. She didn’t react to his appearance this time and her expression was bland. She was different.

“What do you want?” she asked cooly.

“Was I interrupting something?” Itachi asked a little nervous. After all, he had never asked a girl to dinner before. 

Usagi’s face was unusually still and it took her a second to simply reply, “No.”

“Well, my mother wanted to invite you over for dinner!”

“No thanks, I’m busy.”

“I thought you weren’t doing anything.”

By this point, Itachi fully expected Usagi to throw a fit about how she didn’t need a handout or about how she doesn’t want anything to do with him. But she didn’t. 

“Fine.” 

Itachi eyes lit up even though he knew the response was strange.

“Just give me a minute, okay?”

Itachi nodded and watched the girl slip back into her apartment almost secretively. The smile on Itachi’s face slowly vanished as one minute turned to three. Then three turned to five before the door finally opened. 

A blush made its way to Itachi’s face as he noticed that Usagi had changed. Typically she wore a baggy white t-shirt and white shorts with her long black hair loose. Tonight, she put on a flowing white sundress and clipped her hair back on either side.

“What are you staring at?” the snappy Usagi he so was used to was back. 

“You’re just different is all!” Itachi tried to defend himself.

“Well, I’m not a monster Itachi. I’m not going to show up to meet your parents wearing some rags.”

“Right…Let’s go!”

At the dinner table sat Mikoto, her husband Fugaku, Sasuke, Itachi and Usagi. Everyone seemed to be eating blissfully except Sasuke who was glaring daggers into the being that Itachi brought into the house. Despite this, Itachi noticed another side of Usagi who was the perfect guest. She answered when spoken to and laughed when appropriate. Perfectly polite and poised. Although this side of her was new to Itachi, it still felt like her unlike before when she had open her door and revealed a cold face.

“So how did you and Itachi meet?” Mikoto asked inqiusitively. 

Itachi froze and recalled the scene of Usagi momentarily hanging from her ceiling fan.

“We were classmates at the Academy before Itachi graduated so early,” Usagi replied with kindness in her voice. “Then a few weeks ago we bumped into each other the street.”

He remembered the sake bottle and pills that were scattered on the ground when Usagi tripped over her own two feet. His thoughts went deeper until he came across a question that he hadn’t thought of before. If she wanted to die so badly, was it wrong of him to stop her? Shinobi too willingly give up their lives and it’s seen as honorable and brave. What’s so different about Usagi wanting to die? Are people not free to choose how and when they die?

“Itachi?” Itachi heard someone vaguely call out to him. “Itachi!”

Itachi!” Fugaku’s voice was much harsher and more stern than his mothers and snapped Itachi out of his thoughts. “Don’t ignore your mother. Forgive me, Usagi. He’s not usually like this.”

“Oh no,” Usagi put her hands up assuringly. “It’s fine.”

“What’s gotten into you lately?” Mikoto asked.

“It’s ‘cause Itachi-niisan likes her!” Sasuke shouted.

“O-oi!” Itachi whined. It was Usagi’s first time Itachi get annoyed at something which made her smile a little.

“Sasuke-” Mikoto was about to scold her youngest until Usagi intervened.

“Sasuke-kun! Do you like magic?”

“Magic?” Sasuke raised a brow skeptically. “You’re not going to pull a coin from behind my ear are you?”

“No,” everyone observed as Usagi reached behind Sasuke’s ear. “But what about a flower!”

Usagi whipped out a long, white snowdrop flower. Everyone’s face including the stoic Fugaku—who had not spoken at—was startled at the trick which conjured up a flow from thin air. 

“You had that in your pocket!” Sasuke accused trying to contain his amazement.

“I don’t have pockets,” she said showing her dress to Sasuke which certainly did not have any pockets.

“I don’t believe that’s really magic!”

“Sasuke!” Itachi said scoldingly. “Don’t be rude to our guest.”

Sasuke pouted again. 

“Where did learn this trick from?” Mikoto asked still stunned. 

“I guess it runs through the family,”Usagi replied with a smile. “My mom used to like doing tricks like this on me.”

Used to. The implication is that Usagi used to have a mother. So that implication would lead one such as Itachi and his parents to realize that this girl’s mother had likely passed or was perhaps in a vegetable state at the hospital. It would explain to Itachi why Usagi’s home was so empty that one day. So maybe, Usagi did not really want to be alone. Maybe, being alone was all she knew how to do. Does loneliness drive one to want end life? Is life given sustenance by the connections humans make?

The evening soon came to a close and Itachi was sent out to walk Usagi home. Itachi wondered what Usagi might have been thinking as they silently walked side by side, but decided not to badger her too much. It was not long before they arrived at Usagi’s doorstep.

“I hope you enjoyed dinner tonight,” Itachi said with utmost sincerity.

“I did,” Usagi responded with a blush on her face. “Thank you, Itachi-kun.”

Itachi-kun? The she way she referred to him flustered him a little, but before he could say anything else, she muttered a hasty “good night” and disappeared into her her house. 

Itachi returned from walking Usagi home as his mother instructed he should. When he came back he saw his mother doing dishes; his father reading the newspaper; and his little brother fiddling with the flower that Usagi had pulled out from behind Sasuke’s ear. Typically, Sasuke would pounce on Itachi in whatever case if he entered the room. However, Sasuke was completely invested in this elegant white flower.

“Is everything okay, Sasuke?” Itachi seemed a little concerned. 

“This is a snowdrop flower, right?”

“That’s righ-” Mikoto cut herself off as she did the dishes only to realize something. 

Noticing that their mother had abruptly stopped Itachi asked, “Okaa-san, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just that…Snowdrop flowers only bloom in the winter.”

Certainly, it was not at all winter.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two years since the day Itachi discovered Usagi. The two had grown an unlikely and interesting friendship. Itachi still found himself checking on the girl just in case there was a chance he would find her in another dangerous situation. However, since he joined the ANBU Black Ops, it was difficult to see her often. Luckily, Usagi was now a genin and had missions of her own to think about. Itachi had also contemplated telling her jonin leader about Usagi’s situation, but ultimately decided against it. 

On this particular day, Itachi found himself fiddling his fingers at Konoha’s hospital. He had just gotten word that Usagi had suddenly fainted before her training session even began. The doctors still did not know the cause which filled Itachi with much anxiety. Did she do something on purpose? Is she not in the best mental state? 

“Itachi-san,” a nurse called out to him. “Usagi’s ready for visiting if you still want to see her.”

Itachi walked down the halls to find Usagi’s room. Upon arrival he stopped in front of the door. Someone was already in there and the presence was all too familiar.

“Won’t you think about my offer,” the voice was of a man.

“I-I don’t think it’s a good idea,” came Usagi’s timid reply, “Danzo-sama.”

Danzo. Head of the Root. What did he want to do with Usagi?

“But you will consider it,” Danzo demanded. “I will be taking my leave then. It seems you have another visitor.”

Itachi slid the door open and bowed before Danzo who merely passed him. When Itachi lifted his head he was attacked by a black hair blur. Usagi had wrapped herself around him and tears seem to threaten to fall as she shivered.

“Itachi-kun,” she whined, “that man is scary!”

“Yeah,” Itachi responded sheepishly. “He can be like that. What did he want with you anyway?”

“I guess I have a few talents up my sleeve,” she replied with a large cocky smirk.

“But you’re one of the worst genin I’ve ever seen.”

“Fuck you.”

Usagi slapped him across his shoulder which only elicited a smile from the Uchiha. The girl spun around and walked towards the window to look outside of it. Itachi’s smile faded as he looked at Usagi and could only wonder what a man like Danzo would want from a simple girl like Usagi. 

Usagi, on other hand, bit her nail in frustration as she looked out at the village. She had to try. Just one more time. Then maybe it would all be over. Maybe this time it would work.

Itachi watched as Usagi took a deep breath and stretched upwards. She collected some clothing from a chair placed by her hospital bed. It probably would’ve been smart if Itachi had just left the moment she started pulling the strings of her gown which revealed something that widened his eyes. Three red gashes ran diagonally across her back as if a tiger had slashed it’s claws and made its mark. 

“Itachi-kun,” came her voice, “are you enjoying the show?”

Realizing that he had overstayed his visit, Itachi’s face turned beet red. 

“S-s-sorry!” he apologized and ran out the room slamming the door behind him. He stood outside her door for a moment thinking on the appearance of the gash before deciding that it was probably a wound from a mission.

Itachi waited once more in the lobby of the hospital so he could take Usagi home, but there was no sign of her. He sat for another five minutes before sensing that something was not right. Not a second later, a join rushed to the nurse counter.

“Where is Usagi?” the man asked hurriedly.

“She should be in her room,” the nurse answered nervously.

“She’s not there!”

Itachi’s eyes went wide. Usagi had slipped out. Panic rushed to his heart as he raced towards her room once more. A bunch of medic ninjas were running around panicked.

“Where is she?” they asked amongst themselves.

“What happened?” Itachi approached one of them.

“She stole some very rare and potent painkillers,” the medic replied. “She’s in perfect condition and if she took those it can only mean-”

“I’ll go find her,” Itachi announced. “Be ready.” Without a second to spare, Itachi rushed back outside and ran towards the only place he could think she could be in. 

It was like history was repeating itself scene by scene. Itachi knocked the door to her apartment down; however instead of seeing her hanging from the ceiling, it was quiet. She sensed her presence, but it was weak. Was he too late? When sensing others, it’s always like a game of hot and cold. Itachi got warmer and warmer the closer the drew to the bathroom. He opened the door to find an empty pill bottle, a bottle of sake, and Usagi hunched unconscious over the close-lidded toilet. 

“Usagi!” Itachi sporadically took the girl in his arms and felt for a pulse and breath. Both were weak. Quickly Itachi turned on shower and dragged the girl into the water before shoving his fingers down her throat. 

“Please,” he whispered.

Thankfully, Usagi threw up all the pills that were entering her system. Then miraculously, an emergency medical team arrived and took her from Itachi. 

So there he was. Back at the hospital. Night had fallen over the village and the hospital was much quieter. Itachi hung his head low. Why was so he bent on saving someone who clearly did not want any of it? His thoughts were so loud that he didn’t hear anyone come in through the doors. 

“Itachi,” came the soft voice of his mother.

Mikoto looked at her child who would not look at her back. She once thought that it was a mere schoolboy crush that Itachi had on a pretty girl like Usagi. It wasn’t long before Mikoto realized that Itachi actually cherished the girl. Itachi didn’t have too many friends rather he chose not to have many friends. Even as his mother, there were times Mikoto grew frustrated with how closed off and distant her son was.

“This isn’t the first time,” Mikoto noted. “I know. You brought her over for dinner two years ago because she tried to do something like this, right?”

Itachi didn’t reply.

Mikoto wrapped warm arms around her son and said, “You saved her though so be glad that she’s okay.”

“I don’t think she wants to be saved,” Itachi said quietly.

“Then maybe you should let her go,”Mikoto advised. “Like on missions, you can’t always save everyone.”

“I don’t know why I can’t do that with her.”

The words struck Mikoto. Itachi didn’t merely cherish this girl. He loved her. Now that love does not necessarily indicate a romantic idea of love. Mikoto smiled down at her oldest son and continued to hold him in her arms. 

Although Itachi had originally planned to stay the whole night, his mother coaxed him into going home as he had a mission the next day. Even if Usagi did wake up she would not do so until daylight by which time Itachi would already be gone. So that day, Itachi returned from his mission as the sun was setting. It was a cruel mission that required that he spy on his own clan. However, he greatly respected his captain Kakashi Hatake who understood how dirty the job must have seemed to the young Uchiha. Itachi, however, did not complain. In fact, Itachi Uchiha played a pivotal role between a Konoha and his own clan. 

There was always a heavy weight upon his shoulders. It’s something that your average twelve-year old shouldn’t be able to understand yet there was Itachi. Pure kindness in his heart and carried out whatever was asked him without complaints. This was the curse that came with the gift of excellence; and it was something he hid from the likes of Usagi and his own little brother, Sasuke. 

Itachi found himself making his way back to Usagi who seemed to have been awake for a while. Mutters and whispers were shared between doctors and nurses alike. 

“With that much she should’ve died,” one nurse said to another as they walked out of Usagi’s room. “On top of that, the doctors are saying the pills had to have been inside her for at least ten to fifteen minutes. Those weren’t just ordinary painkillers…With that potency it really should have killed her.”

The boy passed the pair of nurses and made it through the sliding door to Usagi. When he entered the room he saw her. She looked absolutely fine. As if nothing had happened to her. The only indication that she had gone through anything at all was the dullness in her eyes. The typically bright and shining Usagi was completely torn down.

Itachi just stared as he saw a streams of tears beginning to fall down the sides of her pale face and onto the white sheets. He didn’t say anything as he walked towards her until he was right beside the girl who at this point had her face buried in her hands. Her cries were audible and all Itachi could do was put a hand on Usagi’s back as she bawled.

“Every time,” she began. “Every single time.”

Guilt washed over Itachi. He had saved Usagi twice now, yet she still sat there wanting to die. 

“Maybe you should get help,” Itachi suggested kindly. “There are a lot of people in this world who suffer like you do and you shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help.”

“You don’t understand,” Usage replied darkly. “What would someone like you know? Someone who’s been loved his whole life. Who are you to tell me to ‘get help?’”

“Usagi,” Itachi’s eye narrowed. In a split second Itachi lifted Usagi’s face to meet his forcing her to look into his piercing eyes. 

Itachi could have said a thousand things but he only stated, “This isn’t like you.”

His grip on her chin loosened. Usagi’s expression softened realizing that all Itachi wanted to do was to help her. 

“I’m sorry,” was all Usagi could muster. 

“You can at least tell me what’s wrong.”

Usagi paused before replying, “I grew up not knowing who my father was, but I don’t think he was a good man because my mother always got angry when I would try to ask. She used to hit me a lot or refuse to feed me. I don’t know when her breaking point was or how it came about, but one day she tried to kill me.”

“Is that where all this is coming from then?”

Usagi didn’t answer this time because it was obvious that Itachi didn’t believe her. Itachi on the edge of the bed awaiting any sort of response. All he could think about during this time silence was that she was different.

“I think you should leave,” Usagi finally broke the silence. “Please.”

“Then tell me one thing. Why do you keep doing things you don’t like? Why are you even a shinobi?”

“Self-dense.”

The answer felt rehearsed. As if it were something Usagi had told herself so many times over to the point she believed it. Had Itachi not been so smart, he might have actually believed her. However, Itachi did not stick around to dig for more answers and did as Usagi requested.If there was nothing more he could do, then so be it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be uploading chapters 3 and 4 today! Although, I'm not quite sure if I'm going to keep going with this story... We'll see! I also started writing another story called The Price of Simplicity which is a Kakashi/OC if you want to check that out too.

Usagi was at the training grounds that day with her team and sensei. It was a simple sparring exercise that Usagi was no good at. However, she was particularly bad that day. Everyone already knew that Usagi had close to no talent as a ninja. In fact, it was a miracle she even passed to be a full-fledged genin. A pure stroke of luck as many put it. 

“Usagi!” her sensei shouted as one of her male teammates punched her in the stomach. “Be more alert!”

Sweat was dripping from Usagi’s face which expressed a look of sheer pain. She had been aching all day long, but the pain at this point was far too great. Usagi’s vision began to blur and all the sounds began to muffle. As her knees hit the ground, her team rushed towards the girl who suddenly collapsed. 

Before her eyes closed and beyond the running feet she saw Him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is much more focused on Kakashi and the beginnings of his relationship with Usagi. Enjoy!

The first time Kakashi Hatake met Usagi was strange to say the least. Kakashi was supposed to be in the prime of his life and youth at twenty—the beginning of his golden twenties. However, the lens through which Kakashi saw the world was not a glistening gold but a grim gray. Indeed, a great ninja like Kakashi was close to giving up. He was rushing to his death with whatever chance he got and everyone knew it.

It was a day before Usagi collapsed and Kakashi was doing a solo mission right on the outskirts of the village. There had a been a report of unusual sightings of nude people in the night. There were two theories floating around as rumors in the village. One was that they were ghosts of enemy shinobi who died in the past Great Wars and sought to exact revenge on the ones who killed them. The other was that there was an evil cult that was forming under everyone’s very nose. Kakashi didn’t know which one was more ridiculous, but his mission wasn’t to address those rumors. 

Actually, his mission was to pick up a girl who had gone missing for less than 24 hours. The Sandaime and Danzo, the latter who held a serious grudge against Kakashi, had claimed that it was absolutely necessary that this child stay within the walls of the village unless permitted to leave otherwise. They treated her as if she were a jinchuuriki like the Fourth Hokage’s son. Especially since they called in an ANBU captain to do this petty work. When Kakashi asked how they knew she would be there, they answered by telling him that she was always there. 

Since the mission was so simple, Kakashi didn’t feel the need to use his ANBU uniform or wear that forsaken mask. He wouldn’t be killing anyone anyways. Surely enough he caught Usagi sleeping in the grass. When he jumped down from a tree to get a better look, Kakashi noticed her clothes looked hastily put on as the end of her long white skirt was hiked up to her upper thigh. Her white tank top looked to be held together by ribbons at her shoulders yet one was completely undone. 

Kakashi scanned her body to look for any signs of violence or any sort of indication of harm. Even Kakashi had to admit that Usagi was quite pretty and there were plenty of sick men that existed even in a safe place like Konoha.

However, everything seemed fine. She looked for the most part (other than her clothes), untouched. Kakashi crouched down to pick her up, but when he wrapped his arm around her back Kakashi noticed something warm and moist spreading on his glove. He gently slid his arm from under her and saw blood on his hand. Carefully, Kakashi turned the girl over just enough to for him to see the wound and not wake her up.

Across her back were three light scratches one of which had started bleeding, but looked to be of no concern. The girl probably had some encounter with a ninja cat who scratched her causing her to freak out and faint. A typical girl reaction. Kakashi wrapped his arms around Usagi again; but before he could lift her, Usagi’s eyes flew open. A piercing scream rang painfully through Kakashi’s ears and the girl feistily kicked out of the man’s grip.

“W-w-who are you?” she yelled clearly vexed. Usage noticed her shoulder strap had been untied which only angered her further. “Pervert! You were trying to do some dirty shit, weren’t you! And you have that mask covering your face because you don’t want me to know who you really are so you can anonymously sell me or something like that!”

Quite the kid, this one, Kakashi sighed inwardly.

“Calm down,” Kakashi said cooly. “I’m not your enemy and I didn’t do anything to you. Your shirt was untied when I got here. I was just ordered to bring you back to the village.”

“O-Oh,” she stuttered looking as though she had remembered something. Usagi then proceed to bow to the older man who’s face remained stoic, “Sorry. I was just surprised.”

Her personality took a complete 180, but Kakashi remained unphased. 

“What were you doing out here in a place like this?” Kakashi asked. 

Usagi retied the ribbon and patted her clothes down before answering, “I thought I would go for a swim here! It’s a really nice place. Super peaceful.”

An obvious lie. 

“And the scratches?”

“What scratches?”

“On your back.”

Usagi twisted around attempting to get a glimpse and wove a hand back to touch the scratches. 

“Huh, I guess a cat must have scratched me or something.”

Kakashi sighed and waved his hand signaling for Usagi to come. His job was to bring her home, not to pry. 

Usagi’s pink lips pouted, but did as her superior told her too. The two began walking back to the village side by side without exchanging a word. 

In the long period of silence Usagi stole glances at the man. A little girl inside her was screaming and flailing her arms around with hearts in her eyes. The mysterious man was very attractive despite most of his face being covered. He was everything any girl would want: tall, dark, and handsome. Usagi couldn’t help but daydream of a forbidden love story between a minor and an adult.

“What is it?” Kakashi suddenly inquired. “You’ve been staring at me a while, so what is it?”

“N-nothing,” Usagi replied hiding her deep blush under her hair. “I was just wondering why you keep so much of your face hidden.”

“I’m not obligated to answer.”

“Then can I have a name?”

“Kakashi Hatake.” 

Usagi made a soft growling noise before whining, “You know it’s polite to ask for another’s person name too!”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s Usagi.”

“Nice to meet you, Usagi.” Usagi blushed again as Kakashi turned to merely look at her with what she imagined was a smile. 

“You too.”

It was the day after Usagi collapsed and attempted to take her own life again. Between the time she forced Itachi to leave her, there had been many doctors and even the Sandaime himself who had come in to check in on her. After all, this wasn’t the first time.

The scratches on her back that were once so thin had grown more and more painful.

It wasn’t long before she got the notice that she could be discharge; but before she could even set foot out her room, the man she dreaded most in the village walked right on through. Shimura Danzo. 

“Danzo-sama,” Usagi greeted coldly.

“Given the circumstance,” Danzo started, “your answer to my offer is a yes.”

Usagi said nothing until the pain in her back was suddenly searing. She hunched over and winced in pain.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

Like magic, the pain subsided.

“I’ll do what you want,” Usagi spat through her teeth.

“Good,” Danzo nodded.

Usagi whipped her head around and glared at the elder.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” she snarled. 

Danzo noticed her eyes change from brown to black. As if her pupils took over her iris. No. Fear settled in Danzo’s body as he watched the black spread over the whites of her eyes. 

Usagi left the hospital. Was it always this lonely when you get discharged? The black haired girl looked around her as she watched others leave with their teams, or with family, or with friends. She recalled when she snapped at Itachi to leave and speculated if he didn’t want to be friends with her anymore. 

“Hm?” the familiar voice of a man reached her ears from behind.

Usagi turned around to see Kakashi Hatake.

“It’s you!” she exclaimed. “The pervert!”

“Hey!” He barked. 

It was ridiculous what the Hokage was making him do. It seemed that Usagi had no real friends other than the famous Itachi Uchiha who she seemed to have a falling out with. Even her genin team belittled her and thought of her only as nuisance. Apparently her sensei had asked the Hokage many times to have her replaced from the team as she had zero promise as a ninja. Yet for some reason was sought out by a man like Danzo. 

Kakashi watched as the girl happily bit into her dango stick. Today she was wearing what Kakashi assumed was her ninja outfit. It was a big, flowing white shirt that which on the right wrapped around her body. The shirt was held together by a large white ribbon which tied behind her. She wore a pair of black shorts that could hardly be seen under the shirt which came down to her mid thigh. Then up to her knees were her open toed shoes. However, there was no hitae-ate which Kakashi found strange. 

“Kakashi-san,” she began, “right?”

“Yeah,” was his simple answer.

“Did the Sandaime ask you to treat me?” 

Kakashi was unsure of what to say. Usagi’s expression didn’t change. She seemed to maintain a smile and looked okay. In a way it was hard to believe that Usagi was a loner when she actually enjoyed socializing with others. It was hard to believe that someone so bright wanted to throw her life away. In all honesty, it pissed Kakashi off. How willing she was to give it all away when her perception of pain was limited.

“It’s okay,” she continued ignoring Kakashi’s narrowing eyes. “He does this all the time especially when something bad happens and Itachi isn’t around. Last time it was some lady who had some sob story about her husband who had jumped in front an enemy attack.”

Kakashi’s understood why nobody liked her. Usagi knew how to get on all the right nerves to get someone riled up. 

“Sorry,” her personality flipping like it did when they first met. “I must sound foolish. I’ll be going then.”

The moment Usagi became vulnerable, Kakashi calmed down. He saw it. How she was hurting. He had to remind himself that pain was relative as he watched her get up and walked away from the little shop. According to the mission, he was supposed to keep an eye directly on her for the day; but he decided that it wouldn’t help her. How many others before had been assigned to her? How superficial must that have felt? 

Usagi spent the rest of the day walking around aimlessly until dark. The fact was she didn’t like being alone in her apartment. In fact, she would often try to wear herself out in any way possible before coming home so that she could go directly to bed. Unfortunately, sometimes that didn’t work and she would be left alone in her thoughts.

It was a hot summer night and Usagi could find no peace as she laid on top of her sheets. Her window was left open to let any sort of breeze in if there were to be. She took a deep breath in and a longer one out.

“Hey,” Usagi sport up from her bed and looked out her window to see Itachi squatting on the ledge by her window.

“Itachi-kun?”

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said as he slid through the window into her room. 

Tears grew in her eyes and she pounced on the boy. 

“I’m sorry!” it was hard to understand her apologize as it seemed muffled by the sniffles and tears. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Itachi patted Usagi’s head while chuckling. Everything she did made him think that she was perfectly, but he would know better than anyone else the need hide away pain. He contemplated what he needed to do in this situation. When it came to someone like Usagi, he felt like he never had a plan since she seemed to be moving at a pace on her own. There was no one or two ways to approach whatever the girl did. 

“Do you remember,” the Uchiha started, “the time when you snuck into the ANBU Black Ops training grounds to congratulate me? You got in so much trouble with the Sandaime.”

Usagi giggled and said, “How could I forget that? I was so scared because they were threatening to wipe my memory or kill me. Thankfully everyone had their masks on so I couldn’t see who everyone was. Except you, I could tell who you were since you were so much smaller than everyone else.”

“You probably don’t know this, but I begged the Sandaime to spare you even though I knew he would never harm a child.”

“You did?” Itachi felt Usagi become vexed again. “I don’t always need saving you know!”

“I just want you to know that I always have your back.”

A warm feeling filled Usagi as he said the words. 

“That’s really all I wanted to tell you,” Itachi turned to pull himself back out the window he came through. However, he stopped by Usagi who gripped his wrist. 

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I don’t tell you much about myself and if I could, I would. Give your parents my best and Sasuke too.”

Itachi nodded and flashed away form Usagi’s room.

Usagi turned away from the window to rest, but then she felt another’s presence in her room by the door. It was a dark and foreboding presence. The room felt piercingly cold or was it scorchingly hot? Whenever He was even just nearby, it made Usagi’s breathing heavy and her heart pound harshly against her ribcage. She didn’t dare look at the figure in the doorway and only listened.

“Handsome boy,” He noted, “that one. It’s a shame what will happen to him.”

All Usagi could do was focus on her breathing. He usually called for her when showing himself but never approached her privately. Her tiny bedroom was much too small for his great, overbearing aura. It was overwhelming.

“You will not disappoint me tomorrow,” Usagi heard Him say. “After all, I have given so many gifts. The gift of beauty, longevity, and a piece of my own power. With your gifts you will serve me and there will be no more tolerance for your petty attempts to escape. Only I can decide when your life is over. Is that understood?”

Usagi felt her consciousness slipping away from her. 

She felt His burning touch on her cheek before his final words, “My little Reaper.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I was going back and forth between wanting to keep writing this story, but I think I'll give it another shot. It took a while to squeeze out this chapter especially because I wanted to make it a little bit longer. On top of that, I was having a little block. AND ON TOP OF THAT i'm taking summer classes and it's finals time, so yeah. That's been going for me... Anyways thank you for reading and I hope this story is somewhat interesting! Also please check out my other KakashixOC, The Price of Simplicity! I will hopefully be uploading a new chapter for that this coming weekend. Thank you!

Kakashi found himself back in a place he didn’t really want to go back to. He didn’t really understand the situation, but the Sandaime seemed to treat it with much seriousness. Danzo was also there. Danzo Shimura was Kakashi’s former leader when he worked as a double agent for Danzo’s Foundation and the Hokage himself. It wasn’t long before Kakashi realized the corrupt nature of The Foundation and what Danzo really wanted. So he, betrayed it for the sake of the village. Now, to be in a room with the two must mean that this was serious business.

The man in the wolf mask kneeled before the elders and stated, “You called for me, Sandaime-sama.”

“I have been having you keep tabs on Usagi,” Sandaime explained. “This is because she will be prove to be a…unique weapon for Konoha. Although, I do not particularly like the idea of having a child carry out such a task, but it seems she has volunteered herself for the job.”

“Sandaime-sama,” Kakashi politely started. “May I ask what kind of job she will be performing?”

The Sandaime let out a pensive hum as Danzo merely stood stiff as stone.

“Torture,” Danzo answered for Hiruzen who shot the bandaged man a glare.

Kakashi’s eyes widened, “Torture?”

“You see, Usagi has a peculiar set of skills,” Danzo explained. “While she may not be gifted in the basic art of shinobi, Usagi was… given something else in exchange. However, such gifts come at a heavy price.”

The small pause between Danzo’s ultimate choice of words struck Kakashi’s curiosity and concern.

“Given something else?” Kakashi was clearly confused.

“That’s enough!” the Sandaime cut the conversation. “It pains me enough to have to see a child do such dirty work. We will not discuss this any farther.”

The two others fell silent.

“Then,” Hiruzen continued, “let us talk more about your role, Kakashi. The reason I chose you to watch over Usagi was because you have Itachi Uchiha on your team who seems to be very close to the girl. He’s saved her from attempting suicide twice now and looks to care for her.”

“Yes, this much I know already,” Kakashi informed.

“There is a darkness inside of Usagi that even I cannot begin to comprehend. Having someone there is the only thing I can do for the child.”

“Wouldn’t Tenzo be much better for this job?” Kakashi asked. “He’s much more… sociable.”

“Kakashi,” the Sandaime’s voice was stern. “Do you doubt me?”

“No sir,” Kakashi bowed his head down in apology.

“Good. Itachi will meet you at the interrogation center.”

“Yes sir.”

“Kakashi. A word of advice.” There was a weight in the Hokage’s voice that could not be ignored. “What ever happens. Remember, that this is a mission that requires absolute secrecy. I must reiterate this even though you are an ANBU. Also, do not let what you witness hinder your beliefs about this girl. After all, she is still a child.”

“You have my word.”

~~~

Itachi was not quite sure what was happening. He was ordered by both the Sandaime and Danzo to meet his captain, Kakashi, at the interrogation center. Itachi stood still waiting for further instructions outside arguably the darkest places in Konoha.

“Weasel,” Kakashi called out to his subordinate.

The young Uchiha turned towards the direction of his captain’s voice. There was something off and unsettling about the older man.

“Taichou,” Itachi said back. “What is our mission?”

Kakashi sighed. He knew that Itachi wouldn’t like this mission even more than Kakashi. It was a difficult position to be in for anyone. At that point it didn’t matter that they ranked highly in the shinobi system.

The door creaked open and there stood three people. Behind Itachi’s mask, his eyes widened. It another ANBU with a man who looked to be a prisoner on his left and Usagi on the right. Her expression was still and blank. There was not even a hint of emotion behind her eyes. She was unreadable.

The two were taken into a room. Kakashi and Itachi followed, but stood outside the doorway.

“Sorry,” the ANBU said to Kakashi, “but Danzo-sama asked that I make sure you two stay inside the room during the interrogation process. Precautionary measures.”

Kakashi and Itachi looked at one another before nodding.  
“I’ll stand guard outside,” the other ANBU further told.

The two swapped places with the other leaving Kakashi, Itachi, Usagi, and the prisoner who was tied to a chair inside the room. The room suddenly felt as though the temperature dropped ten degrees as the door closed behind them.

“Heh,” the prisoner laughed. “A little girl’s my torturer? I don’t know if this is a funny dream or my worst nightmare.”

Usagi just blinked.

“Can you at least tell me what you’re going to do?” the man continued to ask. “Without any tools, a little girl such as yourself can’t do much.”

“Your name,” Usagi ignored his question. “The only tool I need is your name.”

“Tch,” he scoffed. “Daisuke Igarashi. You sure are cocky. If it’s not physical torture, then it’s going to psychological, huh?”

Usagi smirked grimly before saying, “You can believe what you want. If that helps.”

Daisuke guffawed at this statement, “Are you belittling me? You’re just a child! A girl at that!”

The corners of Usagi’s lips turned down. “They say that you can take away the power of a demon once you know its name.”

“Oooh,” Daisuke feigned fear. “I’m so terrified! Go home and arrange some pretty flowers for your daddy.”

Usagi stepped close enough to Daisuke so that she could touch his head.

“I never said that the demon was me,” was the last thing Usagi said to the man before he went into fits of screams.

Itachi and Kakashi froze in fear. Neither of the males could point out what it was that sent running chills down their spines. The screams escaping the Daisuke’s mouth were just pure anguish and torment as if Usagi were drawing out all the pain a human could possibly feel. All Itachi and Kakashi could see was the back of Usagi and the twisted face of sheer terror. Was it some sort of genjutsu? Was it like the Yamaka clan where she could dig through his memories. No, it was different. Much different because she wasn’t using her chakra to do any of it.

Neither of them had heard a grown man particularly a shinobi scream like that in their life. The moment Usagi lifted her hand from Daisuke’s head, his eyes rolled back and his head hung forward. He was visibly trembling.

“W-what a-a-are you?” he stammered too afraid to look at her face. “Y-y-your eyes.”

Usagi crouched so that she was eye level with Daisuke and gently touched the side of face coaxing him to look at her. Fearful tears were streaking down the man’s face and it seemed that the fear only grew when he looked at Usagi’s face. Kakashi and Itachi weren’t sure if they wanted to see what he could from Daisuke’s perspective.

“Did you see Him?” Usagi’s voice was sickly soft. “Did He show you your destiny?”

Daisuke gulped.

“I can save you,” Usagi smiled. “I can save you from your guilt and suffering.”

A stench reached Kakashi’s nose and the sound of liquid dripped off the chair. Usagi looked down to see that Daisuke had wet himself. He then began muttering quickly and incoherently in some other tongue. A prayer.

“You choose to pray to a god who can’t help you,” Usagi teased at the man’s futile efforts. “Don’t you understand?”

Daisuke continued to chant.

“I’m the angel you pray to now,” Usagi face twisted. The look was incomprehensible. “And _He_ is your one and only salvation.”

“I will do anything you say,” Daisuke concluded in defeat.

Usagi’s method proved more than successful arguably too successful, Daisuke admitted his intentions towards Konoha were ill. He was a jonin sent from Iwagakure disguised as a merchant to steal the codes to the barriers of the village.

Kakashi and Itachi stood with Usagi between them. While she didn’t quite know who they were. All she could feel was their palpable tenseness. A sigh elicited from between her plump pink lips.

“Geez,” Usagi scoffed.

The two ANBU were truthfully, honestly, and genuinely shaken. They might not know what the ability she possessed was, but frankly they did not need to know. The screams of Daisuke rang through heads continuously. They had never heard anything of the like. The question was no longer who but what and why.

“Your powers are truly a gift,” Danzo suddenly appeared and commended Usagi.

“That’s something a fool would say,” Usage muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I’m glad I could be of service for the sake of the village.”

Usagi’s voice and expression were monotone.

“Good. Then I have a second mission for you, tomorrow. You are all dismissed.

Steely cold chocolate eyes were still. Usagi seemed like she had met the eyes of Medusa herself and turned to stone before she could give any reaction as Danzo walked past her, the ANBU, and disappeared from the building.

Wishing to speak with someone, anyone, Usagi said, “I need to use the restroom.”

Usagi waited until she was around the corner and outside the sight of the ANBU. Once it felt safe enough, the black haired girl rushed to the bathroom allowing her panic to unravel in her eyes. Slamming the door of a cubicle open, Usagi threw herself over the open toilet bowl and hurled everything she had inside of her. The visions she had. The things she saw in that room with Daisuke and his wretched screams made her sick.

She felt nauseous even after regurgitating anything she had in her, but it seemed that there was nothing but stomach acid left to conjure up. So, Usagi proceeded to wash her hands despite her dizzying headache from trying to force her queasiness out. Then a horrible presence filled the air. She couldn’t see through the mirror. _He didn’t have a reflection._

Her breath grew shallow and staccato as she felt clawlike nails stroke her head and trail her neck.

“That’s a good girl,” He whispered maliciously right into Usagi’s ear. “Things are much less painful when you listen. Is it not? It’s much easier to obey your Master.”

He began twirling a lock of black hair between his too long and too thin fingers.

“I-I wouldn’t say,” Usagi trembled and gulped. “I-I wouldn’t say that it was l-less painful.”

“Ah,” the sound was almost like a hiss. “You finally understand, don’t you? That even in death you cannot escape me. That there is no place for rest in the afterlife especially not for you.”

“Because I am a sinner.”

“No!”

A gasp hitched in Usagi’s throat when He suddenly grasped her neck tightly as the lights flickered.

“Do not dare compare yourself to the lower lifeforms of this world!” He snapped. “I gave you a gift to serve me.”

He loosened His grip and returned to playing with the soft raven locks of Usagi’s hair.

“Serve me well, I will give you greater things. Riches, powers, a place beside me. It’s what your father wanted for you and what your mother envied you for. It is your fate.”

The moment Usagi felt His hand finally pull away from her hair and vanish into nothingness, she fell to the floor heaving in and out. Everything felt weak. Like He had sucked her soul out completely and taken it as he disappeared. His words and touch lingered and burned like poison. Lastly, it was cold and she desperately wanted it to end.

~~~

Usagi had been in the bathroom for more than fifteen minutes. While Itachi and Kakashi were dismissed, they couldn’t help but feel was amiss. Neither exchanged any words until Itachi could no longer contain his concern.

“Taichou,” Itachi started, “I’m afraid something bad might have happened.”

“She just went to the restroom, Weasel,” Kakashi replied.  
“Then why are we still here?”

 _CRASH! THUMP!_ Quicker than lightning the two ANBU flashed towards the sound coming from the women’s restroom. Itachi slammed the door open to find Usagi on the floor bleeding from her forehead. The crashing and shattering sound had come from the mirror which was cracked and stained with Usagi’s blood. It seemed she had slammed her face into the mirror.

Kakashi picked the small girl up in his arms and left the building with Itachi following suit. Then the two found themselves at the hospital waiting for Usagi to wake up. The two had taken off their masks as they were off duty as they sat. Itachi fiddled his thumbs anxiously as he aggressively ran through his own thoughts.

“Do you think it was another suicide attempt?” Kakashi asked Itachi.

Itachi stopped twidling his thumbs and took a moment before answering, “No. The attempt was too reckless. Too messy in that there was no…research.

“Like planning?” Kakashi questioned.

“No. Planning isn’t the right word. Each time I’ve caught her trying to kill herself, they were basically foolproof methods that should guarantee death. They were also methods that would result in the least amount of bloodshed. In a way, her attempts were…clean.”

An image of Usagi hanging all those years ago popped into his head.

“Constructed,” Itachi connected.

Usagi slumped over the toilet with a bottle of sake and an empty pill bottle.

“Engineered,” Kakashi ended.

~~~

Usagi awoke in a different place, but she couldn’t tell where as her vision was blurry. She felt her body and the most immediate thing she realized was the absence of her breasts. While she was still twelve and growing, a woman should know what’s there. Usage trailed a hand down lower and lower until she felt a soft bulge.

“Eep!” Usagi jumped but her voice was different too. It was deeper.

“Daisuke?” It was the sweet voice of another woman. Automatically, Usagi felt the man’s heart flutter.

“Daisuke?” she called out again.

Finally, Usagi’s vision came into focus and she saw an average looking woman before her. She had blue eyes and brown hair with circular white markings under her eyes. Nothing pretty, nothing special, yet Usagi couldn’t help but have this sensation of adoration for this stranger woman.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. “Anata, are you okay?”

“Papa,” another sweet female voice except this time it was a child.  
Ugly, Usagi thought to herself as the pudgy child revealed herself from behind the woman. The child looked to be no older than four years old with small eyes that seemed to disappear as her chubby cheeks seemed to squish them shut. Yet, this feeling of absolute love and devotion wouldn’t go away.

“Papa,” the child repeated. “Are you drunk?”

“No,” Usagi couldn’t control the answer.

“Your father is probably overworked,” the woman said to her child. “Let your father rest and go play. Okay, Mei?”

“Okay!”Mei replied brightly before skipping away.

Usagi looked around and she was in an unfamiliar house. Yet it felt like home.

“Is this the afterlife?” Usagi asked in voice of Daisuke.

“What?” the woman almost cried in disbelief. “Anata, what’s gotten into you? Are you sure you aren’t feeling alright?”

“Perhaps this will be my heaven,” Usagi continued the words falling out of her mouth without control. “If I even deserve to go to heaven.”

“You’re being strange.”

“Me? No. Not me. You.”

“What on Earth are you talking about?”

“You. Why did you do it?”

“Daisuke?”

“Why did you make me do it?”

“Anata.”

“You betrayed the village and you betrayed me. Brought shame to this family.”

“Daisuke!”

Usagi felt her whole body whip around and lunge at the woman. She wasn’t sure when a kunai appeared in the man’s hand, but it did and she could feel the cold metal through his palm. A piercing ache shot through her gheart as the man wept and stabbed his beloved wife over and over and over and over. Blood splattering on his face, the walls, everything. Usage couldn’t make Daisuke stop hacking at the body as if the more times Daisuke did it, he thought he would get used to the feeling of killing his own lover.

“M-m-mama?” Usagi felt Daisuke freeze. She couldn’t stop this body as he rose above the dead woman’s body and slowly turned to face the toddler.

The look on Mei’s face. Too afraid to cry. Too afraid to run. Too in love with her father to admit that she was in fact afraid.

Usagi was using all of her strength to prevent the hand with a kunai from rising. To no avail, the sharp blade fell right into Mei’s skull.

Everything stopped. Time stood still.

“Daisuke?” Usagi heard the woman’s voice again and her heart filled with love and adoration once more.

“Papa,” it was Mei again. “Are you drunk?”

“Your father is probably overworked,” the woman said to her child. “Let your father rest and go play. Okay, Mei?”

“Why did you do it?” Usagi heard herself in Daisuke’s voice ask again.

“Daisuke?”

Again.

“Why did you make me do it?”

Again.

“Anata.”

Again.

“You betrayed the village and you betrayed me. Brought shame to this family.”

Again.

“Daisuke!

Again.

Again, Usagi found herself savagely sticking Daisuke’s wife with a fresh kunai. Again, she found herself plunging the same knife into his daughter’s skull.

Suddenly, Usage breathed in sharply and she felt a sharp pull on her stomach as light flooded her vision once more.

~~~

“Where did she go?” A nurse yelled loudly in frustration.

This caught Kakashi and Itachi’s ears. By this time night had fallen and truthfully, the two were becoming exhausted and were in much need of sleep. However, the cry of the nurse snapped them back awake.

“What’s wrong?” Kakashi asked as the two ran up to the angry nurse.

“Usagi-san is gone!” she shouted. “Again!”

“Did she take anything this time?” Itachi asked concerned.

“I don’t think so,” she groaned. “If she did, maybe we should just let her have it! However, she did leave something behind.”

“What would that be?” Kakashi inquired.

“Her clothes. All of them.”

~~~

The night was chilly. A signal that the seasons were beginning to change from summer to autumn. Usagi walked through the forest right outside the village. Twigs and leaves snapped and crunched under her bare feet. Goosebumps rose all over her naked skin and hair stood up on the back of her neck.

 _Crunch. Crunch. Snap. Crunch._ Usagi stopped when she finally came across a clearing. The same clearing Kakashi found her sprawled out unconscious at. The same clearing that generated rumors in the village.

Between the trees there were others. Men and women. All bare and naked. And there was Him. With only an ounce of fear, Usagi stuck her chin up and walked straight towards Him until they were only a foot apart.

“You understand now, girl?” He asked almost nicely. Almost fatherly.

“I do,” Usagi replied looking at Him directly in the eyes.

“Your role in this world is a great one. You will be rewarded with glory.”

“I don’t desire such petty things.”

Wicked laughs echoed through the forest.

“Silence!” He demanded. “Why do you reject such prizes, my child?”

“Because I’m above all earthly wealth and power.”

This time He chuckled. “Good. Good. It seems you do understand your position. However, to be sure allow me to ask this one thing. Who are you?”

“I am your Reaper.”


	6. Chapter 6

It was dark. Usagi found herself in a void full of voices. Faint sounds of frantic whispers that echoed and reverberated in her ears. Usagi took a tentative step forward and the bottom of her bare foot felt cold as if she were stepping on smooth stone. Marble maybe. She didn’t mind the chill against her bare skin anymore. This void felt oddly comfortable despite the ghostly sounds emitting from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Suddenly, Usagi’s knees buckled and a pounding sensation began inside her skull. Putting a hand to her head she felt the blood that was falling from her forehead.

 _I need to sit_ , she thought to herself.

Then before her eyes, a sofa appeared before Usagi. Without questioning it, Usagi plopped her body onto the couch and she let herself sink into the cusion. She laid there listening to the manic mutters looking up into the blackness.

 _Will the bleeding stop?_ she asked the void subconsciously.

The dreadful ache in her head stopped along with the bleeding.

 _I’m hungry_ , she told it.

On her lap appeared a plate with a loaf of bread, butter, and grape jam. Usagi smirked at the particularity of the snack. Bread, butter, and specifically grape jam was a nostalgic snack for her. It made her think of her own mother before things changed. Usagi’s mother liked to prepare non-traditional meals at times which Usagi always found interesting. At the Academy, she was never packed a bento with onigiri and tamagoyaki. It was more often things like homemade bread, butter and grape jam, and some kind of vegetable side or fish. Such fond times those were. Simpler days.

Gently, Usagi pulled away a bite from the bread which lathered with butter and jam. Chewing it, tasting it nearly brought tears to her eyes. Before she knew it, Usagi was wolfing down on the bread and spreading ungodly amounts of butter and jam. It tasted just like what her mother used to give her.

Once finished, the plate automatically disappeared back into nothingness like it had never been there in the first place. Usagi looked around at her surroundings from her seat. Still nothing but voices.

Show me anything and everything, Usagi commanded. Her bottom fell to the floor with a thump eliciting a yelp from the girl. Then two rows of black doors with silver doorknobs stretched to what looked like infinite. The whispers had quieted and were muffled. They were coming from behind each door, but Usagi dared not look into any of them. Until she reached a door. A red door with a black doorknob.

“Why is this one different?” she asked but this time out loud.

Nothing spoke.

“What’s behind all the other doors?”

Nothing spoke again.

Usagi huffed out a sigh but right as she was about to turn around, the red door swung open and an invisible force pushed her through it.

~~~

Both Kakashi and Itachi stood guard of Usagi’s door to ensure that she would not leave again. By the time the two deemed it impossible to find her, they had gotten word that Usagi had returned to the hospital still unconscious in her bed. The two ANBU silently pondered to themselves wondering what exactly had happened. They tried to reason with any kind of logic that would explain her mysterious disappearance as well as her equally enigmatic reappearance.

“AHHHHH!” Usagi’s screamed pierced through the air.

Itachi and Kakashi immediately barged into the room. Usagi was flailing around in her bed in a panic. Her breath was short, rapid, and shallow.

“MAKE IT STOP!” she shrieked. “MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!”

Itachi tried to get a hold of her, but she kept pushing him away. The young boy was unsure of how he should get Usagi still. So, Kakashi intervened and roughly clutched Usagi’s head nails entangling in her dark locks and forced her to look him in the eye. Tears were pouring down her face and saliva drooled from both corners of her mouth. Kakashi noticed how were pupils seemed so dilated to the point you couldn’t see her iris. In fact, they almost seemed much larger than usual.

“Calm down,” Kakashi instructed calmly. “It’s okay. It’s just me and Itachi.”

Kakashi’s grip was firm but he still granted her movement. Usagi shook as she turned to see a worried a Itachi beside the bed before turning her attention back to Kakashi.

“Breathe,” Kakashi continued to coach his fingers still wound messily in her hair. “Slowly.”

Usagi found it easy to follow Kakashi’s commands. Slowly but surely her pants turned into shaky breaths; and shaky breaths finally became still. Kakashi finally let go of her face and handed her a glass of water that had been placed beside her bed probably by a nurse. She gulped and felt how dry her throat was. It was so hard to breathe when her heart was racing at the speed of light. Kakashi took the now empty glass object and placed it back on the small stand. Itachi who had been rather tense, eased up as Usagi regained some of her composure.

Within seconds, Usagi’s face contorted and it seemed impossible that could grown paler. Without a moment to spare, Itachi grabbed an small empty trash bin which Usagi hurriedly took and hurled.

“I’ll go get a nurse,” Kakashi said and took his leave from the room.

 _Is she sick?_ Itachi wondered. _The reports claimed that she threw up before she hit her head too. What’s wrong with her?_

She felt terrible. It was like a sicknesss she had never felt before in her life. The stench of her own vomit reached Usagi’s nose. Usagi lifted her face in shock. Bread, butter, and jam.

Itachi placed a careful hand on Usagi’s back before asking, “Usagi, you need to tell us what’s wrong. What happened to you?”

 _Too much_ , Usagi answered rhetorically.

Sets of quick footsteps could be heard running down the hallway. The sliding door to Usagi’s room slammed open and first entered was a boy. This boy was followed by another and then a man. The two boys appeared to be genin and the older man to be there sensei. Both Itachi and Kakashi deduced that they must be Usagi’s genin teammates.

“What’s the meaning of this?” the boy who yelled was a blonde wearing a simple beige hoodie and some black pants.

“Yeah Usagi!” the other boy who concurred with his teammate was a brunette wearing a green t-shrit and black capris.

“Because of you, we won’t be able to participate in the chunk exams this year!” the blonde shouted furiously.

“There’s no need to yell,” the sensei was also a brunette but in classic Konoha shinobi attire. “Although, I too am curious as to why you’re pulling out of the team. Are you quitting being a ninja?”

Usagi remained still throughout the abrupt interrogation with wide eyes. It looked as though this was also news to her.

“Quitting being ninja?” the blonde scoffed. “I guess you couldn’t handle it after all.You were no good anyways.”

“Hey,” Itachi tried to intervene but the young Uchiha was soft-spoken.

“Why don’t you speak?”

“Can’t you use words?”

“We need to know what’s going on, Usagi.”

The intense throbbing sensation returned in her head. Usagi shut her eyes and winced in pain, but nobody noticed.

“For God’s sake, Usagi! Speak!”

“Yeah, talk to us!”

The bickering continued and the pain grew worse. Itachi was trying to calm the three down but his voice only adding to the commotion. Usagi’s breathing grew unsteady once more and her eyes. She bit down on her lip, a futile attempt to distract from the profound ache.

“Usagi, please you can talk me. I’m your sensei.”

“C’mon Usagi!”

“You goddamn witch!”

“Hey!” Itachi was about to punch the blonde who called Usagi a witch.

Crack! The glass cup behind Usagi shattered into pieces and there was a distinct crack in the window. Pure anger was a new look on Usagi and no one had seen this expression before. Usagi at this point was heaving, her back rising and falling dramatically. The creases between her furrowed brows were deep and her once dark brown eyes were a noticeable pure black. Blood dripped down from one nostril.

“What is the meaning of this?” an familiar, old, demanding voice struck the atmosphere.

“Danzo-sama!” Itachi said in surprise. Everyone but Usagi bowed before the elder.

With Danzo was Kakashi and a female nurse.

A loud thumping sound followed by a softer one came as Usagi dropped the trash bin that was in her lap and fell back into the bed. The nurse rushed to her side and noticed that the girl’s face was flushed and her breath was very uneasy.

“She has a high fever,” the nurse noted irritation laced in her voice. “Everyone needs to leave her to rest. I am afraid that includes you too Danzo-sama. My apologizes.”

“Do what you must,” Danzo replied, “but her next mission can only wait another day.”

“Mission?” the blonde cried in despair. “Why does she-”

“Alright kid,” Kakashi said scoldingly. “Save it.” Kakashi struck a dark glare at the troublesome genin putting the boy right in place.

Everyone left Usagi’s room leaving her to whatever peace she could gather in her current situation. As they distanced themselves from the room, words began exchanging again.

“Danzo-sama,” the jonin sensei began.

“Yes?” Danzo responded.

“Is Usagi being removed from our team to serve you?”

“Yes.”

“No way!” the brown haired genin chortled. “She’s a such a weakling!”

Danzo shot an even darker and more petrifying glare than Kakashi’s.

“The girl,” Danzo said, “has something I want on my side. In such times of political fragility, I must use whatever tool I can get to the village’s advantage.”

~~~

“Well, well, well,” the nurse said in a singsong tone. “What do we have here?”

Usagi continued to breathe heavily and unsteadily.

“Our Father sent me to help you,” she continued. “I didn’t imagine your new power would weaken you so considerably. Perhaps ‘new’ isn’t the right word. Growing? Shall we say?”

There was no strength in Usagi’s body and the burning sensation within her skull showed no signs of stopping.

“Don’t you realize how lucky you are?” the woman in the nurse costume continued while she placed a hand Usagi’s head. Strength slowly poured back into Usagi’s body easing the pain in her head. “He chose you. But why? Why you, sister?”

It was still hard to say anything back, but Usagi managed to croak out between breaths, “We. Aren’t. Sisters.”

“Oh but we are,” the woman replied in her high pitched voice. “All those who follow Him are brothers and sisters. Don’t think because Father favors you that you’re that much more special. He graced us with gifts as well. See, I could easily give you back your health.”

In a matter of moments, Usagi felt her fever die.

“Or I can leave you sick for months,” the woman spat pressing her hand into Usagi.

Just as quickly, Usagi felt it all come back tenfold before reverting back to a healthier state.

“Don’t forget what I did for you today, princess. And remember that I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Him.”

The unknown woman turned away from Usagi letting the girl sit up once more. Usagi was back to near perfect condition.

“I’ll be going now,” the woman announced.

“Wait!” Usage said. “Your name. I never got it.”

The woman giggled which turned into outright laughter.

“Don’t be silly!” she yelled amused. “I wouldn’t ever give you such a thing! After all, you could take away the power of a demon with just their name.”

With that she vanished into thin air without a sound. There was much Usagi was left to think about that day with many questions yet no one to answer them. Needless to say, she was very much alone when it came such matters. And such matters appeared to not have any answers in this world.


	7. Chapter 7

Sasuke Uchiha did not take fondly to people other than his own family which was interesting for seven year old. He did not partake in much of a social life; or enjoyed going on playdates with other boys; or even playing with the other kids during break at the Academy. He also had a distaste for most of the girls in his class. Most of Sasuke’s life revolved around his family especially when it came to his older brother, Itachi, and his father, Fugaku.

From a young age Sasuke understood all too well the pressure he was under. While as the second born he was not the heir of the Uchiha clan, that didn’t mean something couldn’t happen. If anything were to happen to Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke had to be ready. Yet, Sasuke could never seem to live up to Itachi’s genius. Although Sasuke would never admit it, he was jealous of his dear brother.

Typically, Sasuke would pester Itachi to teach him something new and train with him. He loved spending time with his talented brother despite dreading the gap between their skills. However, lately Itachi had been preoccupied with a certain girl.

Every time Usagi’s name was mentioned by anyone in the house it made Sasuke sneer. If it wasn’t work, it was Usage who always took time away from Itachi which was time that Itachi could spend with Sasuke. She created so much trouble for Itachi and arguably the family as a whole, yet everyone seemed enamored with her. Well, except for Fugaku Uchiha who withheld his opinion about the pretty preteen. Whenever she walked through the Uchiha district, everyone greeted her with a smile and would ask her how she was doing. Rumor even had it, the famous Shisui Uchiha commented that girl was very attractive and almost fell in love upon first sight. It was absurd in little Sasuke’s mind how one girl could wrap everyone around her finger when all she was was trouble in disguise.

Itachi walked through the doors of his home without saying a word.

“Nii-san!” Sasuke greeted cheerfully.

Itachi ignored his little brother and headed upstairs to his room.

“Nii-san?” Sasuke said questioningly.

“Itachi,” Mikoto came out from around the corner stopping Itachi. “It’s polite to greet your family when you come home.”

Itachi turned around smiling lightly and said, “Sorry, I’m just a little exhausted.”

Mikoto sighed, “Would you join your family for some dinner?”

“Do you mind if I pass today?” Itachi asked politely. “I don’t have much of an appetite.”

“Alright. I’ll leave some food for you in the refrigerator if you do get hungry.”

“Thank you.”

“Nii-san,” Sasuke tried to say something but Mikoto put a soft hand on Sasuke’s shoulder and let Itachi walk upstairs.

“Leave your brother be,” Mikoto said to her younger son. “He’s going through a lot right now.”

“Okay,” Sasuke responded despondently.

Dinner went on as normal despite Itachi’s absence. Mikoto and Fugaku spoke to each other about their respective days. Nothing out the ordinary. Sasuke poked at a slice of tofu with the tip of his chopsticks pensively.

“Sasuke,” Mikoto called out. “Do you not like the food?”

Sasuke raised his head and said, “No! It’s delicious! I was just thinking.”

“Well what could a seven year old be thinking about so seriously that he can’t eat!” Sasuke’s mother giggled.

Sasuke blushed embarrassed, “N-no! It’s just…”

The little Uchiha took a moment before finally asking, “Otou-san, okaa-san. What do you think about Usagi nee-san?”

Mikoto knew that the question wasn’t necessarily for her, but her husband who sat quietly before answering his son.

“That girl Usagi,” Fugaku started, “is nothing but trouble.”

“Anata!” Mikoto snapped.

“However,” he continued, “there’s something strange about her for the village to take such an interest in her.”

“The village?” Sasuke questions. “Is Usagi nee-san special?”

“No more questions,” Fugaku demanded. “Finish your meal Sasuke. Mikoto, would you tell Itachi to come see me? I’ll be waiting for him.”

“Of course,” Mikoto said.

Sasuke was of course frustrated. All his father wanted to do was talk to and talk about Itachi. He entrusted Itachi with information that Sasuke couldn’t attain. Sasuke was beginning to become fed up with being treated like a child. However, he didn’t have the heart to confront anyone since he was, in fact, still a child.

~~~

“You asked for me, otou-san?” Itachi kneeled before his father.

“Yes,” Fugaku affirmed with arms crossed across his chest. “It’s about that girl.”

Silence fell over Itachi.

“If I’m correct your current missions revolve around her,” Fugaku said. “I don’t know how long this mission will last; however, when it’s done I don’t want you interacting with her anymore. Don’t bring her to Uchiha grounds. Don’t associate with her any further.”

“What do you mean? She’s well liked by the clan members.”

“She’s trouble. She’ll bring nothing but trouble and shame just by being associated with you, the heir to the Uchiha.”

“I’m sorry, otou-san but I don’t understand.”

“I should’ve stopped it when you brought her home for the first time. Listen Itachi, terrible things happen in a shinobi’s life. However, it is the strongest who make it through the test of time and turmoil. Take Sakumo Hatake for example, a coward who couldn’t handle a few slanders took his own life.”

Itachi itched to disagree.

“I don’t fully understand the village’s interest in such a troublesome child, but I can see that she will bring nothing to good to this family.

Tell me, son. What do you feel for that girl?”

“I see her as a good friend, father.”

“Friend. Friends wouldn’t try so hard to leave friends behind. Especially not ones they owe so much to.”

“Forgive me, but I’m having trouble following.”

“You saved her time and time again. Our family, the head Uchiha family, welcomed her in with open arms. And she takes for granted not only your kindness but ours. Why do you think that is? The girl hasn’t even a shred of empathy or gratefulness. Has she even thanked you properly for all you’ve done?”

What Fugaku was saying could all be true, but…

“She doesn’t care for you, Itachi. Not even as a friend.”

It was difficult for Itachi to contain his emotions, but he did.

“Continue to care for her as you do, you will find only heartbreak.”

Sasuke quietly eavesdropped as the older male figures had their conversation. He wasn’t quite sure if he should have been happy that his father was demanding that Usagi leave their lives altogether. While, he disliked the girl, he didn’t necessarily want her to disappear. She did do some neat things like pull fresh flowers out from behind his ears. Was it for the best?

“Sasuke,” Itachi called out, “while you’re passing by, why don’t you join us?”

Fugaku grunted as Sasuke slid open the tatami door and joined the two.

“Did hear much Sasuke?” Itachi asked his little brother.

“Not really,” Sasuke lied.

“Father was asking about what I thought about Usagi,” Itachi explained. “What do you think about her?”

Fugaku looked at his younger son. Pressure swoll in Sasuke’s chest.

“W-well,” the little Uchiha stuttered at first. “Usagi nee-san is troublesome, but I never thought she was a bad person. Is there something wrong?”

“There’s nothing more I want to discuss about this matter,” Fugaku cut the subject and stood up from his seat. “Itachi, you will obey me. You must put the clan first and that’s an order.”

The man left the room not uttering a single word or even acknowledging young Sasuke’s presence. Dejectedly Sasuke looked down feeling that he embarrassed himself in front of his father.

“Thank you,” Itachi said to Sasuke.  
Warmth spread across Sasuke’s cheeks.

“What for, nii-san?” Sasuke faked a pout.

“I know you don’t like Usagi,” Itachi replied, “but I’m glad you don’t see her as a bad person.”

“Mmm,” Sasuke groaned. “It’s just that you make time for her.”

“Well she’s always getting into trouble, you see. I can’t trust her like I trust you.”

Sasuke’s eyes glistened at his older brother’s words.

“Listen Sasuke, you’re going to grow up to be great one day. Maybe even greater than me. You have the potential.”

“You always say that…How can I be greater than you if you never teach my anything?”

Itachi chuckled gently and waved a hand at his little brother to come closer. Sasuke obeyed naively only to have his forehead roughly poked by two fingers.

“Forgive me, Sasuke.”

~~~

Usagi wandered through the village that late evening. The village was bustling about but Usagi paid no mind to the white noise. Rather she found and the commotion comforting easing her hectic mind even just the slightest bit.

Parents, children, and siblings were out laughing. It must have been some kind of special day. Kids were asking their parents to buy them grilled octopus or red bean buns. Different scents of delectable foods filled the air.

“Mama!” a little yelled cheerily. “I want konpeito!”

“Alright but only if you promise to share,” the mother taunted.

“Of course!”

Usagi watched as the mother bought a small plastic pouch of the star shaped, sugar candies which was sealed with a pink ribbon. A large smile spread across the little girl’s face. Vexed, Usagi made an dissatisfied sound and scrunched her nose in the precise direction of the sugar pouch. Suddenly the bottom of the plastic bag ripped open spilling all the candies to the ground.

“No!” the little girl cried tearing brimming the corners of her eyes. “I don’t know what happened!”

“Oh dear,” the stand keeper said. “That’s a shame. Maybe that bag was faulty. I’ll give you another one for free!”

“Yay!”

The man handed the child another bag of candy which she happily opened and shoved her little hand into. Usagi growled softly her annoyance only rising. The stand was full of different candies and small confections; however as something surged through Usagi’s body the sweets turned to dirt. The preteen giggled to herself as the girl sobbed when she got a mouthful of soil.

“Causing trouble?” came a male voice.

“I wouldn’t think this would be your kind of scene,” Usagi smirked, “Kakashi-san.”

“I’m on my way home from delivery a report,” Kakashi said nonchalantly.

“You’re so stiff, Kakashi-san! It’s a nice night out! Take a walk with me!”

“You’re awfully cheerful for someone who could’ve died in the last twenty four hours. Speaking of which, how are you already out of the hospital.”

“I’ve always been awfully lucky when it comes to… well.. you know, not dying. I guess modern medicine is just that amazing!”

Kakashi looked down at the all too happy looking girl. He couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her. She was young and yet the dark and twisted Danzo had gotten a hold of her. Or maybe it made sense. After all, her ability seemed quite terrifying.

 _How can she be smiling after all that’s happened?_ Kakashi thought to himself.

“So?” Usagi questioned rocking back and forth on her feet.

“So…what?”

“Will you take a walk with me?” Usagi asked.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for a twelve year old girl to be seen walking alone with a twenty year old man at night.”

“Nonsense!” Usagi grabbed Kakashi’s hand and pulled him. Her strength was surprisingly gentle. It felt more as though a nonexistent force pushed him to follow her. She giggled as she dragged the older man to a stand that seemed to specialize in nikuman.

“They look so good!” Usagi clapped her hands together.

 _Is it just easy for her to forget everything that’s happened?_ Kakashi continued to question. _No. She’s trying to forget._

“Ojou-san,” Kakashi said. “Two please.”

“Sure thing!” the man steaming the buns nodded happily.

“What?” Usagi gasped. “I was just going to buy one for myself! You don’t have to-”

“Take it or leave it kid,” was all Kakashi said holding out a soft white bun which Usagi gladly took into her hands.

Kakashi merely observed as Usagi happily bit into the bun. The pork was so savory and juicy. She could just taste the onions, green onions, and bits of shiitake mushrooms adding just the right flavors to enhance the experience. While Usagi was preoccupied savoring her nikuman, Kakashi took the opportunity to also scarf his down quickly. However, right before he could take off his mask, he felt Usagi’s intense stare on him.

“What are you stopping for?” she asked still furiously chewing her food while looking at him with equal intensity. “Go on!”

“Um…”

“Oi!” an old man’s voice came. “You two there! Yes! The good looking pair!”

“Us?” Usagi said back.

Kakashi took this chance to turn around and wolf down his nikuman. Once he had shove the whole dumpling into his mouth, he put his mask back on and chased after Usagi.

“Would the two of you like a picture?” he asked. The man held a chunky but small camera. It appeared to be something newer that could print the photos right away.

“Oh would we!” Usagi cheered.

“Usagi, I’m not sure this is appropriate,” Kakashi protested.

“Stop being such a bore, you! Take two please!”

Kakashi certainly noticed how much the girl demanded and pulled. Though he didn’t argue. It felt wrong to argue with someone wrapped in such darkness. In a way, she reminded him of his late teammates. In some way, he felt the need to save her.Usagi smiled while holding onto Kakashi’s arm as Kakashi merely looked into the camera.

“Shake them and the photos will appear like magic!” he said.

“Okay! How much do we pay you?”

“Oh, I’m being paid by the people who run the event to give free photos to the people here. It’s a new attraction they’re trying, so please enjoy!”

“Thank you!”

Usagi began furiously shaking the photo it was comical to watch as Kakashi simply fanned his own. As the cameraman said, the picture began to show colors which started forming shapes. And there they were.

“So cute!” Usagi yelped in content. “Wait a minute.”

Kakashi saw Usagi’s face fall. She whipped her head around looking right then left. Back right. Back left. Scoping the entire area. Her panicked gaze went back to the photo.

“Why is she in here?” she asked out loud probably.

“What are you talking about?” Kakashi asked back trying to peak at her photo which appeared normal to him.

“Usagi-chan,” a sugary venomous voice pierced Usagi’s ears. “Good to see you doing so well after my treatment.”

“Aren’t you the nurse that treated her?” Kakashi asked.

“Oh, aren’t you a handsome man,” the woman said. “A little old for you isn’t he, Usagi-chan? Perhaps you wouldn’t mind handing him over to me.”

The nurse reached a hand out to Kakashi. Immediately Usage grabbed her wrist. Her vision went black and there appeared a face. A woman’s face who’s skin was as white as plain paper. It had golden horns on the top of her head and bore large, threatening fangs. The creature had no eyebrows and a set of distinguishing eyes. Where the eyes were supposed to be white, they were instead were a striking red. Black pupils seemed to pop out against the gold irises.

“I know what you are,” Usagi told it, “but what is your name?”

Kakashi couldn’t understand what Usagi was talking about. The nurse seemed normal. A rather gorgeous woman with dark red hair and a set of golden hazel eyes. She wore a simple top with a simple pair of pants that still showed off her curvaceous body. Needless to say beautiful, but nothing out of the ordinary.

“I told you before,” it said to Usagi, “a demon can lose their powers if they give their name.”

 _A demon?_ Kakashi exclaimed inwardly. With a sinister laugh the woman vanished into nothingness.

“Usagi,” Kakashi looked over at the girl.

“Tch,” she scoffed. “Fucking nuisance.”

Usagi looked serious. A kind of expression that seemed seldom for Usagi.

“Kakashi-san,” Usagi called out to the older man. “This calls for the end my night.”

Usagi looked up to the sky where there hung a full moon. As autumn drew, Usagi knew she would be one year closer to her sixteenth birthday—a dreadful day it was going to be. As she got older it seemed stranger beings approached her. When she was younger, Usagi had the protection of her mother and father to hide her away from ghosts and demons. Even if they were still here, it would still become difficult to completely conceal these otherworldly figures. Afterall, her kind’s strength grows with age and becomes a magnet for trouble.

Kakashi didn’t say anything as Usagi stared up into the sky with a eyes that contained a mix of longing, frustration, and despondency. He was familiar with the look. It’s a similar kind of expression that Kakashi saw his father make before his mental state winded into a downward spiral ultimately bring him to his demise. It was also a feeling that Kakashi understood all too well. Why am I here? What am I doing? These were the questions that were posed behind such a face.

  
~~~

Usagi returned to her little studio apartment. It had been a few years since she moved out of that cursed place where Itachi found Usagi for the first time and more importantly where her mother died. They were not a wealthy or well off family to begin with. Her father was priest of some sort and her mother was a housewife who failed to be a kunoichi. So, there wasn’t much money left for Usagi when her parents left her life.

She plopped herself down on her bed after grabbing some glazed chestnuts she had stored in a cupboard. The girl chewed on the soft, sweet yet simple delicacy as she reached into her thoughts over the past two days. From her encounters with Him, her vision, and the demon she saw. There would be little time to rest from now on. Things were beginning to pick up. How much more often would she able to sit in bed and just be?

It was certain that it become very difficult to contain her abilities. However, she had no guardian or teacher to tell her how to control it. Was there nothing she could do? Was there no one who could help her? On top of all that, Usagi knew that Danzo—or even the Hokage for that matter—would not let her go off to wander the world on her own. Afterall, Usagi was yet another secret of the village.

Even such a place like Konoha which values peace above all else has its own dark and dirty secrets. A village with great military power is still a village with great military power. There was no changing that.

Usagi placed the empty plate that held the sugary treat to the side. She clicked off the lamp beside her bed and laid on her side. Sleep did not come easy as it seldom did. Although Usagi desperately craved answers, she did not at all want tomorrow to come. Even if tomorrow brought her answers, she didn’t want it.


	8. Chapter 8

Kakashi, Itachi, Usagi, and a few other ANBU members were walking deep into the forest between borders. The mission was risky but simple. They were to give back Daisuke Igarashi who had lost all sense of himself. After his encounter with Usagi, this once confident man could only mumble the same prayer over and over again. Inoichi Yamanaka—a man who could look into the minds and psyche of others—saw that even his own mind of jumbled. There was nothing more Konoha could extract from him.

So as a symbol of Konoha’s strength, Danzo wanted to present Daisuke back in his current decrepit state and gave word to Iwagakure that it was a little girl who did this to him. It was a childish statement that the Sandaime did not particularly agree to. However, the other elders hoped that this gesture would prove effective and would at least slow down Iwagakure’s attempts to restart war with Konoha. After all, there was nothing violent about the act and under the ceasefire, there could be nothing done on the other side. In essence, it was a foolproof plan but only in theory.

The group walked with Kakashi leading the group in the front and Itachi following along right beside Usagi who could only vaguely guess who they were. She felt pretty confident that the one walking next to her was Itachi merely because the boy seemed much younger than the others judging by just height. This meant that Kakashi had to be amongst the group, however, all the ANBU shinobi had their hoods up making it difficult to discern one from another.

Daisuke Igarashi’s head was covered by a bag and being carried by another ANBU. It seemed that when he laid eyes on Usagi, the man went into a fit of pure panic begging her to have mercy on him. The only solution was to knock the man out and cover his eyes for the duration of the trip. However, the moment he regained a little bit of consciousness, he was a mumbling mess.

 

Kakashi ran through the events from the previous night in his head trying to understand who or what this girl was. Usagi walked calmly behind Kakashi, but he could sense hectic thoughts in her mind as well. Understandably, this wasn’t exactly the kind of situation any twelve year old girl wanted to be in. Kakashi also felt some unrest from Itachi as well, but this was no time for prying into personal details.

“We’re nearing the border,” Kakashi announced. “Everybody, stay alert. This is a very sensitive mission. Anything can happen. Remember, even in the worst case scenario, this girl here is our top priority.”

“ANBU…um…taichou-san?” Usagi stuttered unsure of what to call this mysterious man in a wolf mask and black cloak.

“What is it?” Kakashi asked.

Usagi’s face was downcast.

“Don’t worry so much,” he reassured the girl. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

A small uneasy smile appeared on Usagi’s face. She didn’t like the idea of the mission and sensed something terrible was to come. The day was the kind of grey where you weren’t sure if rain would come or not. Even if forecasters told you that there was a ten percent chance of rain, that’s still ten percent fulled with uncertainty. That’s what Usagi felt like—ten percent.

The group stopped right at the border where a large group of Iwagakure ANBU and jonin faced them. While the border itself was not physically visible, the tension of the strict line was tangible. Usagi felt as though she could choke on the air itself and her vision blurred. Then the negotiation began.

“We’re here to return one of your own,” Kakashi said his voice as rang clear. “Hand him over.”

The ANBU holding onto the shaking Daisuke roughly removed the bag over his head to reveal a face with bloodshot eyes with dark bags underneath, chapped lips, and a tangled mess of hair. Before he could comprehend his surroundings, Daisuke was thrown to his people. On the other side he saw her.

“GET HER AWAY FROM ME!” he shrieked. “THAT GIRL IS A DEMON! GET AWAY!”

Daisuke shoved a hand into a pocket and threw something ambiguous in Usagi’s direction. Crystal grains hit her face causing her to yelp. Konoha’s ANBU braced themselves for further attack. Itachi, who was still beside Usagi, watched as she knelt down to pick a little bit of what was projected at her. Salt.

 _He must have been taking it from his meals_ , Kakashi noted to himself.

Usagi wasn’t sure if she was thinking straight. Her vision was still a little unclear. The only thing she knew for sure was an anger that started to replace her feelings of unease. However, the anger was overwhelming and felt as thought it was growing from a different part of her.

She took a step forward. Then another. And another.

“Usagi,” Kakashi warned. “Stop.”

She didn’t. Kakashi reached out to grab her, but it felt as though a force held his wrist in place from touching her.

“Stop her!” Kakashi commanded, but something kept everyone frozen in place.

Daisuke shook with fear as his eyes widened and teeth grit together tight as the girl with long black hair drew closer. Each step made his heart race faster and faster. The Iwagakure shinobi also braced themselves for attack, but then a profuse feeling of dread washed over them. Then they saw them—her eyes.

Right as she stepped just a centimeter over the border an Iwagakure join lunged himself at Usagi with a kunai.

“Look out!” was all Itachi could do in this strange state of paralysis.

Usagi graduated from the Academy at near bottom in her class when it came to anything physical. Her reflexes, taijutsu, shuriken throwing were all subpar. She couldn’t have dodged the kunai that flashed out at her followed by at least five more plunging themselves into her body. Blood drained from Itachi’s face from behind his mask as his friend fell into the grass. Itachi and Kakashi both knew she was dead when the invisible grip loosened allowing them to move.

The skirmish broke out over Usagi’s body. The girl who once wanted to die so badly was granted her wish. It tore through Itachi knowing that this was also a version of suicide—a death of her own making.

Kunai and shuriken clashed. The earth raised and lowered. Fire was blow through the air followed by the chirps of lightning. This was a battle between the elite.

Daisuke was made into a pathetic man. He crouched below the fight trying to get as far away from Usagi’s body as possible. However, no matter much he moved, why couldn’t he further distance between him and her corpse?

A twitch in a finger. Were his eyes fooling him? Then the hand moved. His mind playing tricks? Her elbow gently jerked.

Kakashi saw from the corner of his eye these little movements, but his enemy had him preoccupied.

Daisuke watched in horror as her fingers clutched the grass.

Suddenly the fighting stopped as everyone watched something so unnatural unfold. Usagi pushed up on her hands and slowly rose up. She lifted her head eye still closed as if her face were still asleep. Her eyelids opened revealing a black that dominated the entirety of her eyes.

It was dreadfully quiet as she stood with just a foot over the invisible border. Her presence was dark and domineering; and, there was no need to forcibly keep everyone’s mouths shut. Her black hair waved with the wind and the clouds above seemed to darken. Knives were still imbedded into her body and stained with her blood, yet she still stood. Very much there. Very much alive.

One by one she removed the knives but held onto just one as she took one step after another towards Daisuke who could not find the courage to even lift a single finger. No one dared touch her as she crossed the line between countries. Rather, they parted to make a way for her.

It was painstaking the way she walked until her foot was just an inch from Daisuke’s face. He looked up at her and tried to stutter something, but nothing would come out. Nothing. Not even an incoherent sound. Nothing.

“I am sorry for this,” Usagi said to him rather very kindly. Her eyes were still that cursed black, but tears fell from those petrifying eyes.

“I saw what you did,” Usagi continued. “What you did to your wife and daughter, Mei. It was the worst moment in your life, wasn’t it? Your own personal hell.”

Finally, Daisuke managed to shakily stutter, “P-please, I-I-I’ll do a-a-anything. J-j-just d-don’t s-s-show me that a-a-a-again.”

A soft hand was placed on top of his head.

“I won’t be showing you anything,” Usagi reassured eliciting a desperate smile from Daisuke. “I’ll make you relive it, over and over again.”

Before Daisuke’s smile fell, Usagi slammed the kunai through Daisuke’s skull. In the moment, he saw his once lover hatefully bring down the knife the same way he did to her before.

“A-Anata?” Daisuke said before over to his own demise.

Leaving the body behind, Usagi made her way safely back across the border to the Fire Country. Her eyes returned back to their usual brown.

“I don’t know much about shinobi politics,” Usagi said to the men on the other side teary eyed and with a grim smile, “but I do know that fighting is not very productive. Please, let’s leave it here.”

~~~

“I suppose the mission was, in the end, a success,” Danzo claimed rather proud of himself. “The doctors checked themselves and said that Usagi is in perfect condition. No harm done at all.”

The Sandaime, the other village elders, Kakashi, and Usagi all couldn’t deny. Itachi stood outside the room carefully listening to the conversation that was taking place. He was particularly curious on what would happen with Usagi.

“I have to give my gratitude to Usagi,” Danzo said.

Usagi said nothing and merely looked at the village official. The Homage sighed and let out a puff of smoke from his mouth.

“Is this all you have to report?” the Sandaime asked.

“Yes,” Kakashi replied from behind his ANBU mask.

“Then you are all dismissed for now,” the Hokage commanded. “Get some rest.”

The door closed behind Usagi and the ANBU captain. Itachi stood guard beside the door. No one exchanged words and Usagi silently walked away.

As she walked through the hall, down stairs, passed another hallway; she felt strange. Usagi felt oddly nauseous and her vision blurred. These episodes were becoming more frequent.

“Usagi?” it was the voice of Itachi Uchiha.

Usagi felt herself crumbled to floor, but was caught by Itachi.

“What’s wrong?” Itachi asked. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“No!” Usagi protested. “I don’t want to go to the hospital, please. I just need to go home.”

Itachi did as she asked. Usagi laid in her bed as she listening to various sounds coming from the kitchen. She didn’t question what Itachi was doing. Her head hurt too much to even focus on the different aromas that were filling up the apartment.

“Here you go,” Itachi was beside her presenting her a small wooden tray with a cup of tea and a rather bare okonomiyaki along with some chopsticks. “You don’t have bonito flakes or the right sauces really, but I did what I could.”

Even without its usual condiments and additions, the dish did still come across as exceptional. Usagi took the chopsticks and split a piece of the okonomiyaki. The egg melted in her mouth and she crunched on the cabbage filling. Her head felt much better.

“It’s good,” Usagi complimented.

Itachi let Usagi eat and sat down beside her on her bed. He wanted to ask so many questions, but wasn’t quite sure how to approach the situation. It would be a little problematic if he admitted that he was in fact there on the very mission where he witnessed it all.

“You have something you want to ask me?” Usagi asked innocently putting another piece of food into her mouth.

“No,” Itachi replied.

“Please,” Usagi laughed. “I know you were there. You saw it happen. You must have something to say.”

“I don’t really know what happened,” Itachi responded.

Usagi paused for a second and said, “Okay then.”

The two of them knew that this was an immature conversation about a very serious topic. It wasn’t natural for a person to come back from alive being most definitely dead. Not to mention, the pair of deadly, demonic eyes.

“Why aren’t you frustrated?” Usagi questioned, clearly frustrated herself.

“What do you mean?” Itachi asked back calmly.

“You must have something going on in your head,” Usagi retorted.

“Maybe, I just need some time to think.”

“Then why did you come here? To make me a motherly meal?”  
“You almost blacked out.”

“Well, you could’ve brought me home and just left.”

“Because I actually care about you while nobody else does!”

Itachi hung his head low disappointed in himself for giving into his own emotions. Yet, it somehow felt so refreshing to let go. Even just a little. Even if it was selfishly taken out on someone he really did care about.

“I’m sorry,” Itachi said. “It’s just, my father told me to stay away from you after this mission. That you’re nothing but trouble.”

“Do you believe that?” Usagi inquired a little hurt. “Don’t answer that. I don’t care if nobody cares about me. In fact, I could care less if you left me right here. It’s for the better anyways.

Let’s talk about why you’re here then. You’re here to make this last meal as a parting of friendship. Because your clan, your family is more important than anything else. Not just me. Like I said, I don’t care if you don’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

It was sad. Usagi barely realized she was crying. She was weirdly overcome with emotions. Before she knew it the tears wouldn’t stop. It was like an unpredicted monsoon rainfall.

“Usagi?” Itachi called out to her and placing a hand on her back. “Are you alright?”

“I-I don’t know,” she sniffled. “I-I-I’m j-just so sad all of a sudden.”

 _Drip… Drip drip_ …Usagi looked out the window. The grey sky had finally given into rain. Within seconds it began pouring.

“You need to go,” Usagi told Itachi hiccuping through her tears.

“Usagi I-”

“Please!” Right as she shouted the word a flash of lightning struck with the sound of thunder. The storm had gathered right over their heads.

Itachi quickly collected himself and left the small apartment. It was in fact raining quite hard. A normal person would’ve told a guest to stay until he storm passed. It was as though, Usagi herself conjured up the storm. Then again, this was someone who rose back from the dead. Nothing seemed impossible anymore.

Usagi sat in still in the same spot her head thrown back trying to stifle her pitiful tears that had no explanation. She was desperately trying to muffle her pathetic whimpers, whines, and sniffles.

“Stop,” she told herself whacking her head with the ball of her palm. “Stop. Stop. STOP!”

Usagi hit herself harder and harder. Thunder and lightning cracked loudly again.  
“Aw,” came a teasing feminine voice. “You having a hard time?”

“If you can make this stop,” Usagi pleaded through her pathetic state, “please make it stop!”

“What would you give me in return?” it said.

Usagi groaned, “What is it you want?”

“That man you were with was nice. The night of that adorable festival.”

Usagi laughed out loud and cried at the same as her head rolled to face a real demon disguised beautiful redhead. It was amusing to see Usagi in such a state of no control trying not to choke on her own snot.

“Kakashi-san? W-what are you going to do with him?”

“Just play. You know. Give him a few bad dreams. Send some bad spirits.”

“J-j-just tell me who hurt you,” Usagi said annoyed with the demon and her damned snuffles. “Or even better, just gi-give me your name.”

“Fool!” the demon revealed its true face with its horns, golden irises surrounded by a blood red, and sharp fangs. “You think you can save me? Your given ability is to condemn people not to save them. You’ll just throw me down into hells knows wherever you throw bastards down to!”

Unphased by the true face of the demon, Usagi continued crying while saying, “Look, we can talk. But please just make whatever this is, stop!”

“Ugh!” the demon growled and roughly placed a hand on Usagi’s head. A feeling surged through Usagi’s mind and body as it once did before in the hospital.

“You’re spiralling out of control,” it spat returning back to its more human form. “You need a teacher. Or some kind of mind body training at least. Aren’t you a kunoichi or something? Go do some stretches or some shit. Throw some knives.”

“What do you mean?” Usagi asked wiping her nose as she regained her composure.

“Your strength is growing and you don’t know how to control it. You’ve been losing consciousness a lot lately? Feeling light-headed, nauseous, or dizzy. Emotions are overwhelming…clearly according to the weather… Or all of the above?”

Usagi sighed and replied, “All of the above.”

One last sniff through Usagi’s nose and the rain stopped altogether.

“Can’t you teach me or something?” Usage asked snidely. “Why do follow me around anyways?”

“He sent me here to help you, but I can’t teach you anything. I’m nothing more than a lowly hannya.”

The demon sat down beside Usagi on her bed.  
“You’re very mild for a hannya.”

“I haven’t escalated yet.”

“Mm.”

“The name’s Aya. Do what you will with it. Send me to hell or wherever you send people.”

“I’m not going to send you anywhere.”

“Shame.”

Then an idea ran across Usagi’s mind.

“Not when you still have a chance.”

“Don’t be a fool.”

“Will you show me what happened to you?”

~~~

Kakashi was called into the Hokage’s that night for a private meeting with the Sandaime himself. It wasn’t unusual for someone like him who ranked high and served directly under the orders of the Hokage. Kakashi had been wanting to speak with the man anyways.

“Is this about the girl?” Kakashi asked.

“Yes it is,” the Sandaime answered. “You may take off the mask for now, Kakashi.”

Obeying, Kakashi removed his ANBU mask revealing his face to the Sandaime.

“It seems,” the Sandaime started, “things have been getting more and more complicated. While we may have settled things with Iwagakure, relations with the Uchiha clan have been getting increasingly difficult. To the point we may one day face civil war with them if we let this proceed.

Usagi might find herself playing a pivotal role considering her relationship with Itachi.”

“I see… Just what is this girl anyways?”

The Sandaime pensively groaned and closed his eyes momentarily.

“There is a story,” the Sandaime explained. “However, it’s just story. There was a man, Usagi’s father, who ran a selective and exclusive church. It was not a place of wealthy men or any sort of influence, but powerful. Those a part of this group had abilities different from shinobi. Unexplainable gifts given by the devil.”

“The devil?” Kakashi nearly laughed at the absurd idea. “Such things are stories made up in religions. It’s a way to keep control and maintain order of people. It’s manipulation.”

“I thought that as well,” the Sandaime concurred. “Then Usagi came to my attention four years ago when the Academy teachers began noticing something. Something very strange. It was the year her mother was murdered.

Usagi was bullied at the Academy for being talentless. Although she wasn’t the type to visibly show that she was upset there was one day something tipped over. By that time, her father had left them for unknown reasons. To this day, his disappearance remains a mystery.

All this must have piled up on the girl and she attempted to end her own life, but was luckily saved by Itachi who immediately took a liking to her.

During lunch time, a group girls were sipping on juice boxes or cans of soda came up to her. They were jealous that a girl like Usagi was becoming close with the unapproachable Itachi Uchiha. One of the girls dumped a drink on her and in return, Usagi made everyone’s drink explode right in their hands. Comical, isn’t it? But very strange.”

“So you believe the story that there are…”

“I never said I believed it. However, her abilities piqued the interest of Danzo who must have found something out about her between that moment four years ago and now. He found a way to use her.”

There was a pause between the two.

“Kakashi Hatake,” the Sandaime’s voice was commanding causing the younger man to straighten up, “your new mission from this moment on will be to figure what Danzo found out about this girl. This is your mission and your mission alone. Danzo must not find out what I’m putting you up to. Or I’m afraid things for poor Usage may get even worse.”


End file.
